MPC post global campaign for Motorola

Nick Gordon at Academy has directed a global campaign (3 x 30 second commercials) for Motorola’s new C350 phone, posted at MPC.
The three commercials, with the strapline, 'Motorola - intelligence everywhere' were shot on location in Sydney.
In the first offering, Paul Van Dyk is driving through the city at night when he gets a call on his Motorola. The ring tone is one of his own dance tracks and has an immediate effect on his surroundings. The traffic lights change in time with the music, cars bounce up and down to the rhythm, street lights and building lights flicker on and off, creating a club-like flash of lights on the crowds of people walking by. It’s as if the whole city is possessed and 'dancing' in time with the rhythm. As the ring tone builds into a crescendo a great flock of birds swoops across the cityscape, moving with the atmospheric music. When Van Dyk takes the call and the city returns to normal.
Inferno artist Nick Seresin attended the shoot and created 2D effects in post, along with Inferno artist Dan Sanders. Light effects were composited onto the buildings and crowds and flashing traffic lights were added. Extra vehicles, such as a Sydney taxi, were also composited into the scene. Certain elements needed to be removed in post, including a crane and various logos from buildings.
The flock of birds was created in Maya by 3D animator Greg Massie. Massie created the animation using a flocking system written by MPC’s James Turner.
Jean-Clement Soret graded the commercial, following Nick Gordon’s brief for a soft contrast, rather than a strong look, keeping as true to life as possible. Rather than creating a new look, Soret treated the ad in a similar way to treating a black and white image – brightening and darkening specific areas of the picture.
(GB)